School Board
School Board meeting agendas and minutes January 2025 forward available at: https://chewelahsd.community.highbond.com/Portal/
To view policies and procedures, or to see information about or communications from the school board, please use the links in the menu to the right.
EFFECTIVE JULY 16, 2026, ALL BOARD MEETINGS WILL BEGIN AT 6:00 PM UNLESS OTHERWISE PUBLISHED.
The Role of Our School Board
Our School Board is the locally elected governing body of the district. In Washington, board members are known as "school directors." Together, they represent the community, establish the district’s direction, adopt policies, oversee public resources, and hold the district accountable for student learning and well-being.
The Board’s work is centered on one shared purpose: ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality public education and the opportunity to succeed.
School directors serve as a governing team. Individual directors bring community perspectives, ask thoughtful questions, review information, and participate in public deliberation. The Board acts through its collective decisions at properly noticed public meetings, consistent with state law, Board policy, and the Board’s adopted procedures.
Core Responsibilities
As a Board, school directors:
- Establish the district’s vision, mission, strategic priorities, and goals for student learning, achievement, opportunity, safety, and well-being.
- Listen to students, families, staff, and community members, and represent the interests of the community in Board decision-making.
- Adopt, review, and revise policies that guide the educational program, district operations, student services, personnel practices, fiscal management, and other areas of district governance.
- Hire, support, supervise, and evaluate the superintendent, who serves as the Board’s chief executive officer and is responsible for carrying out Board policy and direction.
- Adopt and oversee the district budget, align resources with district priorities, and provide responsible stewardship of public funds.
- Monitor district performance through student-learning data, financial reports, operational information, and progress reports tied to Board goals.
- Ensure accountability for progress toward the district’s goals and for the effective, efficient, safe, and lawful operation of the district.
- Establish general policies and priorities related to programs, curriculum, facilities, staffing, and student services within the requirements of state and federal law.
- Conduct the public’s business openly, provide opportunities for public input, and communicate the district’s needs and progress to the community.
- Advocate for students, public education, and the resources needed for schools to serve students well.
Washington law gives local school boards responsibility for policy setting and for the proper operation of their districts. It also authorizes boards to adopt policies that promote student education and the effective, efficient, and safe management of district operations.
A Governance Partnership
Effective public education depends on a clear and respectful partnership between the Board and the superintendent.
The Board sets direction: it establishes goals, adopts policies, approves budgets, and monitors results. The superintendent leads the administration: working with district staff, the superintendent recommends plans and budgets, implements Board policy, manages day-to-day operations, and reports on progress.
This distinction supports both strong public accountability and effective professional administration. The Board’s role is to govern at the systems level—focusing on the district’s long-term direction, resources, policies, and outcomes for students—while the superintendent and staff are responsible for carrying out the Board’s direction through daily management and operations.
Commitment to Students and Community
School Board service is a public trust. Directors are expected to make informed decisions with care, independence, integrity, and a focus on the best interests of the district and its students. They work collaboratively, respect differing perspectives, follow applicable laws and ethical obligations, and remain accountable to the community that elected them.
The Washington State School Directors’ Association identifies the Board’s primary responsibilities as hiring and evaluating the superintendent; setting vision, mission, and strategic goals; adopting policy; overseeing the budget; representing the community; and monitoring progress toward district goals.
Governance and Operational Leadership
Strong schools depend on a strong partnership between the School Board and the superintendent. Each has an essential, distinct role in serving students, families, staff, and the community.
The School Board governs the district as a collective body. It sets the district’s vision and priorities, adopts policy, approves the budget, hires and evaluates the superintendent, monitors progress, and holds the district accountable for results.
The superintendent is the Board’s sole employee and serves as the district’s chief executive officer. Under the Board’s direction, the superintendent leads day-to-day operations, supervises district staff, implements Board policy, manages programs and services, and brings recommendations to the Board for consideration.
This separation of responsibilities helps ensure both effective governance and effective administration:
| The School Board | The Superintendent and District Staff |
|---|---|
| Sets the “what”: vision, goals, policy, priorities, and desired outcomes | Determines the “how”: plans, procedures, implementation, supervision, and daily operations |
| Governs as a body through official Board action | Administers and manages the district under Board policy and direction |
| Hires, supports, supervises, and evaluates the superintendent | Hires, supervises, and evaluates district employees, consistent with law and Board policy |
| Requests information, considers recommendations, asks questions, and monitors results | Provides information, professional recommendations, implementation plans, and progress reports |
| Represents the public interest and maintains focus on student outcomes | Leads the organization and carries out the Board’s adopted direction |
The Board’s authority is exercised collectively. This structure protects fairness, clarity, accountability, and the ability of district employees to focus their work on serving students. When questions or concerns arise, directors may seek information through established Board–superintendent communication processes and may bring matters forward for Board discussion when appropriate.
By respecting these complementary roles, the Board and superintendent can remain focused on their shared responsibility: improving outcomes and opportunities for every student.